By Steve Keating
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Denis Shapovalov's U.S. Open star continued to rise on Friday as the Canadian teenager moved into the fourth round of the year's final grand slam when Briton Kyle Edmund retired with injury trailing 3-6 6-3 6-3 1-0.
The charismatic 18-year-old has had Flushing Meadows buzzing and while his win over the wounded Edmund did not light up Arthur Ashe Stadium court it did provide another glimpse of the talent former world number one Mats Wilander has described as a combination of Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal.
Shapovalov, whose march into the third round included a shock upset of eighth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, got the match off to a stuttering start as the 42nd-ranked Edmund grabbed the early break to charge in front 3-0 on way to taking the opening set.
But it was be the Shapovalov showing the initiative in a scrappy second set, breaking to go 3-1 then levelling the contest.
In the third Edmund began so show signs of distress, calling on the trainer several times during changeovers to work on his upper back as Shapovalov broke him to lead 4-3 and again to take the set.
Edmund bravely attempted to continue but after dropping the opening game of the fourth set waved the white flag by walking to the net and shaking hands.